Controlling means for automobile-tops.



F. vC. REYNOLDS. CONTROLLINGMEANSFOB AUTOMOBILE TQPS.,

' APPu/mou mEp sEPLzzQIsu. 1,172,735, f Peeented Feb. 22,1916.v

unirsi) sra'rris rarely-r orrion.

1 FRANK o.- REYNOLDS, or coLiiiviBUs, oHid-Assrenon'or oNETHALr 'ro salami zIEeLEn Ann ONE-HALF 'ro z. H. BRADBURY, BOTH or COLUMBUS, eine;

i To alli/whom t may concern:

following ifs a specification.

Beit known that I, FRAN-n C. REYNOLDS, acitizen of the United States, residing at .-Columbns, inthe county of Franklin and Stateof Ohio, have invented certain, new; 1 and'qu'sefull Improvements in Controlling Means for Automobile-Tops, of which the of a power medium for effecting such elevation or collapseof. they topand such`powermedium is desirably controlled by the op- I eration .of the propelling motor of. the ve- .hicley although, in its broad aspect, my invention is'not limitedto this L-latter feature.

In the productionof these'results, my inventionin one of its forms desiiably aims to provide a manual control for initially applying 'such power medium and an anto- .matic releasefor render-in the power mediuni 4of no effect yat a pre etermined point,

thereby insuring a manual initial control and an automatically operative means effective to obviate alldanger of breakage of 'parts in the. applica-tion of such power-"me,

dium.

The preferred embodiment of my invention contemplates various more or less inn-4 -portant details of structure, as for instance the `eXtensible forward bow structure as is shown in the accompanying drawings, vin

which similar 'characters of reference desig-l nate corresponding parts and in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation-of a motor ve? hicle showing the Skeleton frame of the vehicle top iii partially collapsed position with l `the controlling straps connected preparatory `to elevationof the said frame,I Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a motor vehicle showing iny-vehicle top partially raised by the controlling straps and showing the supplemental controlling strapsl carried thereby, Fig. '.3-is aside elevation of a motor vehicle showing the. top in elevated position, Fig. 4

is a detail View in plan of the .niechaiiism for' the strapsfor raising or lowering retratin the vehfi'c 'e top, Fig. -5 is a detail View showingthe-controlling mechanism in side elevation, Fig. '6 is a Vertical section .taken through` one of the reels and showing its ooiirrnoriirne MEANS Foa AUTOMOBILE-mors.

I v Specification of Letters Pateirit. v' Pgjgenge( Feb, 22,191.6, .Application nieu september 22, i911.

manner of'connectionto `tlfie'idriven shaft upon which itis mounted, Fig. 7 is apartial sectional detail of the structurey shown4 in Fig. 6, Fig. `8 is adetail view'of my pre-V ferredniechanisin' for shifting the driven shaft and lockingfsaid shaft in position slib# ject. to automatic release by the straps, Fig.`

9 is an .end vie-w of such shifting mecha?4 nism, Fig. 10 is a detail viewfof an automatic catch which is effective to lock the controlling straps in proper position when the vehicle top attains an elevated-position,- Fig. 1l is an end view of the detailsshown in Fig. lot-and, Fig. 12 is a detail View showing one forni of collar carried bythe bows of the vehicle top serving as conductingv bearings' forsnpplemental straps having a purpose to be hereinafter explained, "j In the drawings, the vehicle body is'shown at l as having brackets 2 and 3 for. the reception of brace nieinbers 4 and l5 and also having leverage bearings 6 and] fora4 pur- .Y pose to be hereinafter explained. The rear braces 4 are desirably of normalforni', while the forward braces 5 are desirably extensible and may be telescoping as shown' at 8 and '-9. The forward vbraces arev desirably provided with eyelets for detachably connecting themV to their points of rest jo ver the brackets, when in their forward 'orexte'hded position, and likewise over the brackets 2, when tele-` scoped into the collapsed vrearrnost position rand .these forward braces are further pro`.

vided with hooks' 10 for the reception of the ends of the telescoping members 9 which are detached from the point 11 when lowered and when the forward braces are moved to their rearsuch hookswlfl,l When these forward braces are moved to their rearmost position, they are adapted to engage supports 'on the rear bows as shownat 4., this latter being common construction.

In addition to the structure described, itv will be noted Fig. 12) that the brace members are desirably provided on their-interior with collar bearings 12 through which arel adapted to pass straps-13 desirably circular st position and attached to iii'cross section and connected at their foryward .ends to some point of'attachment atv lor near the front end of theforward top as` inay not be connected to the leverage bearings at 14. The rear ends of these straps 13 may or naled as at 1.7 'at points at the forward lower end of the vehicle.

TheJI straps 15 are desirably connected 'by loop members 18 to controlling strap members 19. Mounted upon the driving shaft 20 of the motor of the vehicle, which is normall)1 disposed beneath( the hood at the for- 'ward portion of the body, is a driving gear 21 preferably of friction form. In coactivc relation to such driving gear, there is a driven shaft l22 having a complemental'gear 23 and carried in bearings 24 and 25. These bearings are .desirably of such structure as to permit of a shifting of the shaft into and out of operative relation 'with the shaft 20 through the medium ofthe gears 21 and 23 and such driven shaft 22 is desirably maintained normally out of coaction with said shaft 20 by a coil'd spring 26.- Ameans for positively shifting the driven shaft into: coactive relation Withpthe driving shaft is shown in Fig. 8 and comprises a shaft em# bracing link 27 having a. throw-rod 28 and controlled b v a pivoted treadle lever 29. lVhen this link 27 is moved to move the driven shaft into its coactive relation with the driving shaft, the gravity pavvl 30 c0- acts with a rack 31 upon the link 27 to'lock said rack and link in its shifted position and consequently maintain the driven shaft in its coactive relation. The gravity paWl 30 is provided with a downwardly depending arm 32 and with a lateral extension -33 adapted to coact with the doubled end 34 of the belt 1,9. These belts are Wound upon reels which have the interior surfaces of their hubs 36 of ratchet form to coact with collars 3'." carried upon the shaft22, said a collars having radlal teeth 38 normally pressed outwardly by springs 39. In addition to this ratchet structure, which comprises a part of each reel, one outer rim of each reel is dcsirablv formed with ratchet teeth as at -`t() and has enacting therewith pivoted parvis 41 releasable by wires 42 connectcd above its pivot to a pivotedlever 43.

Mounted upon the bearings 1? is a latch t4 which is desirably pressed forwardly upon the operating straps by a torsional spring `Il?. T hese latches 44 are connected through the medium of wires 46 to tho lever -lbelow its pivot and through sucn connection, a forward movement of the lever 43 releases the latches i1 and also the latches 44.

.In operation, it will he understood that the first step necessary to the elevation of the vehicle top when it is in collapsed position, is the extension of the brace members and their attachment to their Points of rest over the brackets 3. The next step is the attachment of the straps 15 to the forward end of'tlie vehicle top. rlhe treadle lever 29 is then depressed, which moves the driven shaft 22 into coactiva 'relation with the driving shaft 2O of the motor of the vehicle. If the motor is in operation, the driven shaft is' rotated which causes a retractile action upon the straps 19 through the medium of the reels As a result, the

top is elevated being ibro'uglit up one sec tion at a time, as shown in Figs. 'l and and which serves `to minimize the initial strain thereon* VVhen the top reaches thc position shown in Fig. 3, tliecatch'es 44 drop into locking relation `with the loops `1S. it it i's desired 'to loiver the ton-'the straps 15 are released from the forward end of the vehicle top'V and `are carried rearwardly for attachment to the supplemental. straps 13.

Then,'\the same operation is repeated with the straps 13 and 15 having a leverage point bers 9 have been released `from the hooks 1l.

the brace members are telescoped and with;y drawn to completely collapsed position.'l the eyelets on the brace members 5, `being placed in position over the brackets 2. andlbeing finally maintained therein lov the attachment ofthe end of the member 9 to the hook 10.

In the operation of the drivingstructure, the movement of theI top into raised or low ered position is `effective through the action of the strap or cable 19 upon. the lateral extensions 33 of the pawl 30 to release the link 27 and permit the resilient member 26 to Withdraw the driven shaft from eoactive relation with the driving'shaft. i

lt will be Aunderstood that it is 'generally necessary to extend the straps individuallyT and it is desired to extend one strap without in any Wav unn'inding' or otherwiseV effecting thc other strap. This is effected by releasing one of the pawls 4:1 and drawing the strap forwardly from the reel. The

,rotation of the reel is transmitted through the clutch collar 37 to the shaft, which ucc essariljv rotates the shaft.. However, the other reel 1s at the same time maintained against movement b v the rotation of the cacy in collapsing the vehicle top, but bea cause'of their general 'reinforcing effect,

position by extension of the forward braces,`

' automaticg-inasmuch as the reels retract -the strapsuntil the top reaches the proper po-l which serves to eiectually reduce the effect of strain'in the automatic operation of the l ,top andparticularly in the automatic eleva-v tion thereof.

An essential and important function of my improved structure of top, resides in the fact that, after the topis in its intermediate 1t, is only necessary to depress the treadle 29.*1he1-.operation then becomes entirely sitio'n when the gravity pawls 30 are tripped vbythe straps through the medium of the lateral extension'33 and the retracting eEect upon the straps is discontinued. At the same time, the pawls 41 and the latches 4t automatically. dropV into their locking' and operative positions.

It will beiunclerstood that practically the same. operation takes place in the movement r of the top from vraised toits intermediate position.

n will thus'be geen that I have provided a comparatively simple structure which renders 1t possible to elevate and lower the top `automatically and by a power carried by the vehicle.

Whatl claim, is-

l. The combination with a' vehicle having running gearv and a body thereon, of a vehicle top arranged to assume positions of-collapse andelevation above said body,`

and motor driven means carried by the vehicle and arranged to move said top relative to the body.

2. The combination with a vehicle'having a running gear and a body thereon, of'avehicle top arranged to assume positions of collapse and elevation above said body, and

motor drivenmeans mounted on the. vehicle and arranged to collapse and to elevate said top.

3. The combination with a vehicle having running gear 4and a body thereon, of a verr`bicle top arrangedA to assume positions of collapse and elevation 'above said body, and motor driven. means carried vby the vehicle operable independently of the movement of the vehicle and arranged to move said top relative to the body.

4. The combination with a vehicle having `running gear and a body thereon, of avehicletop arranged toassume positions of col-y lapse or elevation, motor driven means carried by the vehicle and arranged to move said top relative to the body, and means for automatically rendering said last means inoperative.

5. rl`he combination with a vehicle having running gear and a body thereon, of a vehicle top arranged to assume positions 'of collapse or elevation above said body. and motor driven means including straps re tractable' by-s'aid motor driven'means forA moving said top. I l i y 6. The ycombination with a vehicle having running gear and/ a body'thereon, of a vehicle top arranged to assume positions of\7o y Acollapse or elevation above said body, motor lcollapse or elevationgzhotor drivenmeans including a plurality oftleliible elements arl ranged to be connected to -vthejtop and reg tractable by said motor driven means to move said top, and means arranged to permit the paying out of one :element independently of the other. i

8. The combination with avehicle body having a pair of spaced seats with a' passenger entrance there-between, of a top comprising rear bows, front bowsdisposedin e0 the rear of the said passenger entrancewhile the top is in normal lowered position, vand agu le structure for-said front bows to bring them into position in front ol the passenger entrance during theV raising of vtheltop ex- .tending from the position of thefront-bow in its lowered rearpositionto the point of forward attachment of saidrfront bow, said guide structure bein'g capable vofbeing telescoped within said front "-bow's in their raised or lowered position.

9. The combination withl a vvehiclebody having a pair of spaced seats witha passengerentrance there-between, of 'a' top'com? prising rear-bows, front bows'disposed in 105 the rear of the said-passenger entrance whilel thel top is in normal lowered position,- and a guide structure forusaid front bows to bring them `into .position in-{front of the passenger entrance during the raising of the 11C top extending from thepositionzofithe front bow in its loweredfr'ear position-tothe point -of vforwardattachment offis'aid front bow,

said guide Structure beingi'snch as to .be automaticallymovedfby elevation of thetop 115` out of its positionfacross said passenger entrance to leave it unobstructed when the top .510."l`he combination with a'vehicle bodyv having a plurality of separated seats., `with ai 12o passenger entrance therebetween'f a.. --top provided with rear bows connected td" body at the rear of said passengerfentrancerand with extensible forwardbows varranged'jj.

to be supported interchangeably atfthe frontj "1,725

and at the rear of said passenger entrance. gj.:

11. The,- combination with a vehicle havf ing running gear and a bodyT thereon, o fgag vehicle top capable of assuming positions ofcollapse orelevation, motor driven means 1.302

.feither vehicle topto a` point at the rear 'o'fwtliel vehicle, 'leverage elements near the terminus?v of said straps, and mechanically controlled straps for connection. to the forward. end of `the said. vehicle top or to the terminus of the'said first-named straps.

n .24. The combination of a vehicle top, a pivoted rear brace structure, a forward brace structure extensible for attachment to its point of rest-during collapsed condi-A tion of the' vehicle top, straps slidingly mounted on and extending 4throughout the I vehicle top, 'leverage bearings on the rear end -of the body ofthevehicle, and mechanically controlled strapsl for. attachment vdirectly to the forward end of said vehicle top or for connection to the terminus of said lfirst named` straps with a leverageuover said leverage bearings.

' 25. .The combination with an automobile, comprising a body and propelling means mounted thereon, of a cover including a supporting frame, mechanism for raising'and lowering .the supporting frame, actuating means .for said.- mechanism operated by thepropellingmean's of` the a automobile, and

lmeans for controlling the operationof the mechanism by s aid .propelling means;

26. The combination withzan automobile, comprising a body and propelling means mounted thereon, said vpropelling means consisting of` 'a motor and a shaft driven by I the motor, of a cover including an extensi ble supporting frame movable longitudinally along the body and capable of being raised 'and lowered, mechanism; for raising .and lowering the supporting frame and extending the same, said mechanism being operated by the propelling means, and means for controlling the movement of the cover by said propelling means.

In testimony whereof I -aiiix my .signature I in presence of two witnesses.

-FRANK C.' REYNOLDS.

Witnesses:

EDWIN P. Conn'rr, WALTER E. S. Boex. 

